Google is funding work to ensure the Windows version of Adobe Systems' Photoshop and other Creative Suite software can run on Linux computers. "We hired CodeWeavers to make Photoshop CS and CS2 work better under Wine," Dan Kegel, of Google's software engineering team and the Wine 1.0 release manager, said on Google's open-source blog. "Photoshop is one of those applications that desktop Linux users are constantly clamoring for, and we're happy to say they work pretty well now... We look forward to further improvements in this area."

After having to use the gimp for half a year I see why real designers prefer to use prop. software.

If it is just a matter of removing red eyes, resizing pictures or doing mundane stuff, free software such as the GIMP is more than enough. The casual photo editor does'nt need to spend $$$ on Photoshop just to do that.

Now if someone is looking for a 1rst class application, then spending the money on Photoshop can be justified.

One does'nt need OpenOffice or MSWord to create a single page document. Most of the times a simple application like Abiword will do.

I agree that the GIMP's UI could be made more intuitive and straightforward, but keep in mind that it comes from a command-line philosophy.

I'm not sure know how the ability to use Photoshop on Nixes fits into Google's strategy, unles they plan to release their own GNU/Linux flavor at some point.